Chapter 106

Nikita called Killian. The moment he heard she needed five hundred thousand, he hung up on her without a second thought. His sister never learned. The last lesson clearly hadn't been enough, and now she was getting involved in Latisha's affairs again.

Preston was growing impatient. He stood up. "Mrs. Lambert, are you getting the money or not?"

Latisha looked at Mrs. Dashiell, a profound sense of helplessness washing over her. If only she could magically produce five hundred thousand right now...

From her reaction, Preston knew it was a lost cause. He grabbed Mrs. Dashiell's arm. “Alright, Mom, let's go. She was just all talk. Did you really think she'd give up five hundred thousand for you?"

"Even if she had it, I wouldn't let her give it to you!" Mrs. Dashiell retorted.

Preston's face contorted with anger. "Whose mother are you anyway? Why are you taking an outsider's side?"

"You are my son, the child I carried for nine months, and yet you're worse than a stranger!” Mrs. Dashiell said, her voice breaking with grief. She glared at him with pure hatred. "The biggest regret of my life was giving birth to you!"

"What did you say, you useless old woman?" Preston snarled, his face twisting as he raised his hand to strike her.

Mrs. Dashiell didn't flinch. She tilted her chin up defiantly. "Go on, hit me! If you have the guts, just kill me right now! I must have been a murderer in a past life to deserve a monster like you for a son!"

The woman tried to intervene. "That's enough, stop it. Let's just get Mom home."

She then put on a show of concern, trying to help Mrs. Dashiell up. "Mom, let me help you."

Mrs. Dashiell shoved her away. "I can walk myself! I don't need your phony kindness!"

She grabbed her cane and, before leaving, turned back to Latisha one last time. “Latisha, I've already chopped the vegetables. You just need to cook them. Please, remember to eat on time. Your health isn't good, don't keep skipping meals."

Tears welled in Latisha's eyes. She reached out and clung to Mrs. Dashiell's hand like a child refusing to let go of a beloved toy, her vision blurring.

"Take care of yourself,” Mrs. Dashiell said, her own weathered eyes growing misty. The old woman reached out and gently wiped away Latisha's tears. "You're a good girl You will find happiness."

Preston shoved Latisha aside. She lost her balance and fell heavily to the ground.

The two of them led Mrs. Dashiell away, their figures shrinking in the distance until they disappeared from sight.

Latisha clutched the fabric of her shirt, staring at the empty doorway as tears streamed down her face.

Why? Why could she never hold on to the people and things she cared about?

Not Clifford, not Nikita, not even her baby. And now, Mrs. Dashiell was gone too. Did she even deserve to be happy?

The house was silent again, and she was all alone. There would be no one waiting for her to come home, no matter how late it was.

Latisha knelt on the floor, sobbing like a child who had lost their most precious toy-

a desperate, heart-wrenching sound.

In her despair, her phone suddenly buzzed. She scrambled to pick it up.

On the screen was a notification of a bank transfer followed by a

message from Nikita.

Nikita: [I borrowed five hundred thousand from someone else. Use this for now.]

Latisha wiped her tears, scrambled to her feet, and sprinted out of the villa.

She ran as fast as she could, but

Preston and his wife had left by car. She chased them for what felt like. mile

but she couldn't catch up to

the distant vehicle.

fo

Suddenly, her foot caught on something, and she fell hard, her knees and elbows scraping against the pavement with a searing pain.

Latisha lay on the ground, staring at the empty street ahead, the light in her eyes fading with each passing second.